Third Love
by Aster Verzen
Summary: Ishigami Senkuu's third love, is neither his father nor science.


**Third Love**

**-'-**

**A/N:** We move into the Stone World, following the storyline from First Love. I read the idea of a B side on a fic published for the SenGen Week in Tumblr –maybe–, but I can't remember which, since I read almost everything published during the week. My head's a mess, I've read too much.

On a different note, thank you, Lokittenyaa, Silvermist023, lastrap1412, for adding 'First Love' to your favorite list. I never thought anyone would like the subject of the fic. And I apologize for putting the continuation as a separate story, but it seemed more fitting. I'll make a little extra, also as a separate fic, that will talk about Senkuu's second love: science, but that will have to come later, as I'm trying to work on several other works I have behind schedule.

** -'- **

**Eleven.**

It breaks his heart. It shatters and he can feel the shards shredding the muscles and the meat and the skin in his ribcage, making it a raw bleeding wound. But there is no wound –_he knows_–, his heart is as healthy as it'd ever been, as he stands in front of the stone that marks Byakuya's grave. He only allows seldom stray tears to fall, because if they don't fall now, they will fall later –possibly in front of someone–. And Senkuu hates it with fervor, with all of his might he despises to know he will never feel his father's warmth ever again. To hear his voice in his ear, to cuddle in bed with him, to taste his chapped lips, to feel the calloused skin on his fingertips. He could never have any of those things ever again. This ignited such a primitive pain, a scorching _rage_.

His first love is forever gone, leaving Senkuu filled to the brim with despair.

**-'-**

**One.**

Ishigami Senkuu's third love, is neither his father nor science.

A silver-tongued young man –mismatched hair and dark blue eyes–, like a sly fox waiting to set you up in a trap. That is, until you throw off his cool, then you got an exalted wide-eyed cat wanting to run away. The contrast is truly amusing. Superficial, false, sneaky, trickster, loyal advisor, surprisingly caring friend, a liar with black nightshades up his sleeves, knowledge of botanic inside his head, and deep understanding of the soft sciences.

He waltzes in to his life uninvited, seeking personal gain, gambling everything for a bottle of Cola, intruding on his thoughts without warning, daring to go where Byakuya made everything better. Daring to make him feel better as Byakuya once had. Asagiri Gen took the unilateral decision to take away as much of his mental strains as he could. And Senkuu should be bitter –_he is_–, but not as much as he thinks he should.

**-'-**

**Two.**

Observatory. A telescope. The shining stars through the gaze of a glass lens, they reach his sight. Gen seems so attuned to Senkuu. This fact irks the scientist, as he gazes the skies Byakuya once traveled. It also made him mad, that the idea to check the glass record for a B-side came from an overheard conversation Gen was having with Suika.

There was one. A B-side with a hidden message for Senkuu's ears only. So he played it at the observatory, when he was alone.

_'Senkuu, I'm making this extra message in secret, after all, I didn't want the others to know.' he pauses for a second. 'I love you. As my son, as my lover...' he chokes. 'I love you so much, and it kills me inside to know that I may never see you again, you don't know how much I miss waking with you in my arms. So don't be mad at me, for what I'll say next' Byakuya sighs. 'Move on, Senkuu. We both know, I spoiled you rot, because I wanted your happiness more than anything, so I never denied you a thing. But find someone else. I'm ten billion percent sure, there is someone out there, who will love you, as much as I do. I don't want you to be alone, I know how lonely you get at night. Be happy, Senkuu, even if we can't be together anymore.'_

The message ends after a brief silence, probably the moment when Byakuya turned to set the recorder off.

This was the second time Senkuu felt tears running down his cheeks, his nose getting stuffy. His heart shattered even more than it already was with Byakuya's words. _'My lover'_. He'd never called him that before. Byakuya had always seemed reluctant to acknowledge the shift in their relationship, even as things progressed more and more each passing night they made love. But in his true last message he recognized it. And maybe that's why it hurt so much, to hear it from a speaker, instead of the man himself.

The tears blurry his sight of the stars. But Senkuu lets them run free. He needs it.

**-'-**

**Three.**

_'Asagiri Gen and Ishigami Senkuu will happily fall to hell together'_

For the briefest of seconds, Byakuya's words resonated on Senkuu's brain: '_there is someone out there, who will love you, as much as I do'_. But dismissed it, he doubted it was love the mentalist felt. Also, Chrome burst through the floor screaming, so he had to halt his thoughts anyways.

**-'-**

**Four.**

It's not that he hasn't noticed, he simply tries to ignore it. Senkuu knows Gen stands next to him often, he knows it's possibly a rouse to create a bond with him, so Senkuu lets him. He lets him be near, to somewhat invade his personal bubble, hell, Senkuu even initiates small contact from time to time.

The mentalist smells like flowers, it is no wonder, considering he probably has them up his sleeves, along with some other trinkets. He wonders how uncomfortable those layers of clothes are, how annoying it might be to put them on every day.

He grows accustomed to him always being within arm's reach, the perfume of flowers always on his nose. And slowly, ever so slowly, he begins to expect the floral scent to be there. He sometimes glances around, when he notices he can't smell it.

**-'-**

**Five.**

"Senkuu-chan~!" sings Gen as he waltzes into the lab.

He doesn't bother to look up. Senkuu's fingers work nimble tasks as he builds, whatever, he's always building something difficult and delicate.

"What is it, mentalist?" he inquires.

"I'd like to speak with you later this evening, if you have the chance, I'd like to stop by the observatory"

Senkuu glances at him, his tone is as cheerful as ever, but Gen seems fidgety.

"Sure, I don't see why not"

The mentalist smiles and turns around on his heels, leaving the scientist to his own devices. Yet, the sun gets devoured by the horizon soon enough, and he awaits, observing through the rudimentary lens at the many glinting lights. The creaking of the floor hatch is quiet, as are Gen's footsteps when he sits beside him. They lay in silence, Senkuu sees him out of the corner of his eye, Gen's fidgeting is more obvious now, his grin seems uneasy.

"I thought you wanted to talk" he chides.

Gen gives him a long, inexcrutable glance, Senkuu can't quite place the emotion behind it.

"Senkuu-chan..." Gen begins hesitantly, rubbing his hands together, until he sighs and faces Senkuu. "There is something I wish to ask"

"And that is?"

Gen's answer doesn't come immediately, he seems to debate himself.

"Truth is, when I came to propose my plan, to imitate Lillian, I..." he halts. "I overheard... something"

Senkuu knows what he means. Panic seeps through him, his palms grow sweaty. His breath catches on his throat. It's not shame, but he really doesn't want this conversation. He doesn't want to hear it. Not now. Not yet.

"Did you and your papa, had a romance?" the question is soft, as is Gen's expression, but it reverberated loud on Senkuu's ears.

The deer-caught-in-the-headlights look on the scientist's face was all the answer the magician got, because Senkuu got to his feet and ran away, as if the devil was hot on his heels.

**-'-**

**Six.**

It was as if that night never occurred. Senkuu pretended it didn't, and Gen didn't push further. That is, until they defeated Tsukasa. Until after Hyoga had gone rogue, and Senkuu decided to begin building a boat, did Gen decided to go back to that topic.

Sunset was dawning on them, as everyone prepared to stop their doings, going to rest for the night after having a warm supper.

Senkuu was yet again in the observatory, this time drawing the plans for the Perseus. As usual, he ignored the fact that Gen had come inside, even when he had him right on his side.

"I wasn't judging" he states.

"Huh?" Senkuu deadpans, not following what the other meant.

"I wasn't judging, when I asked about you and your papa" he clarifies.

Senkuu no longer looks frightened, but he stiffens all the same. Perhaps it is time to talk with someone.

"He'd never said it before" he whispers.

Gen's eyebrow lifts, now it's his turn to be left dumbfounded.

"He'd never call me his lover before. I was always his boy, his son. Even when we made love" Senkuu's voice was so quiet, the magician had to strain his ears –almost envying Ukyo's extreme hearing–.

Gen doesn't say anything, doesn't think he has to. He simply takes Senkuu's hand in his, squeezing, letting him know that it was okay to go on.

"I love him. More than science, more than anything. I miss him so much, it feels like my heart shatters, whenever I think of him"

Tears go down his cheeks, Gen's grip stays firm.

"It hurts..." he sobs. "It hurts that Byakuya never said it to my face"

Senkuu had never really broken down like this in front of anyone, but he doesn't stop to care, he simply sobs, brokenly, as Gen's grip stops being on his hand, and goes to wrap around Senkuu's shoulders, pulling him into a tight embrace.

"Why did daddy had to leave me?" he whispers between sobs.

The mentalist doesn't speak, words wouldn't help anyways, he simply holds Senkuu to his chest, letting the fabric of his clothes get dampened with tears, his fingers going through white-green locks of gravity defying hair.

**-'-**

**Seven.**

The world slowly comes into view, as the senses awaken –lethargic–, taking their sweet time to notice the surroundings. First, comes the muscle pains. Second, are the heavy eyelids. Third, is the raspy, dried throat. Fourth, is the chirping of birds, and the buzzing of people already moving outside. Fifth, last, but not least, the strong tang of nightshades on his nostrils. Nightshades. On his nostrils. This realization prompts him to get up, his heavy eyelids and sore muscles protesting when he pushed them to work at once.

His crimson eyes take on the young man still snoring softly beneath him.

_'Gen'_

Senkuu feels dazed, the memories of last night fleeting lazily in his not-fully-awake-yet brain. His cheeks flush a light pink, embarrassed that he showed so much raw emotion. He trembles lightly, burying his face on the magician's chest again, and the other stirs a bit, so Senkuu stills where he is. Graceful fingers dance on the scientist's hair, and he decides to sleep some more. What's done is done, no point in fretting over it.

**-'-**

**Eight.**

Softness. Warmth. Chemicals. The sun. The moon. All the stars. Need. Fragility. Gen could taste all of it, smell all of it, when Senkuu first pressed a kiss on his lips. It was short –_chaste_–. Gen knew the reason behind the tentativeness, the uneasiness. Senkuu was only recovering from the loss of his first love, had only begun to accept the notion of someone else invading a similar place on his heart.

And Gen would go at the pace Senkuu set. He was okay waiting, was okay with just being near.

**-'-**

**Nine.**

During the eve, Senkuu had dragged him away from everyone else. He'd taken Gen's hand, leading somewhere more secluded, the trees hid their silhouettes. Once out of sight, the scientist's arms pulled him closer by the neck. Their second kiss. Still soft, but no longer as insecure. Gen dared to nip at Senkuu's lip, and he relented, opening his mouth a bit more. There was tongue, it was moist, and slow –so slow–, and Senkuu moaned.

"I'm scared" admitted Senkuu, when they parted.

"I don't bite, Senkuu-chan"

"It's not that"

"I know" he sighs. "It's Byakuya-san, right?"

There is a nod.

"He wanted me to go on" whispers Senkuu. "And I think I'm ready to do so. But it's still frightening. Because I fear I might forget what it felt like, to be with him, if I do move on"

"You won't" Gen is firm in his claim. "You never truly forget your first love, no matter how much time passes. The memories will stay there"

"You promise?"

The question sounds so frail, Senkuu might as well have been a child scared of the dark right now –with how much he shivered–. But Gen knows better than to be condescending right now, even in his own head.

"I swear"

He cradles Senkuu's frame in his arms, trying his best to instill confidence in the other. And it seems to work, because Senkuu relaxes, in his embrace.

The wind grew colder, so they returned to the village, and went into the observatory. Gen was as soft as he could, fearing Senkuu would run away again, but he didn't, so his touches grew firmer with each passing minute. Until he got to undo the belt of Senkuu's tunic, at this, he stopped, and looked at Senkuu's red gaze.

"We can stop if you're still unsure, Senkuu-chan" he offers.

Senkuu's legs wrap around Gen's waist, pulling him closer.

"It's okay. I'm ready. I want you, Gen"

The mentalist undoes the belt, leaving more of Senkuu's skin available, getting to work on a trail of kisses and bite marks down his chest and belly, nipping at his hip. Senkuu made small approving noises, making it clear that he liked it. Gen tugged the makeshift underwear, and got to work on his cock with his mouth, slow, then fast, then slow again, he enjoyed teasing Senkuu, and the youngest was growing impatient, tugging at the bicolored strands of hair he had on reach.

"Ah! Ge-!"

He didn't finish, because Gen stopped teasing, and made him come. Gen goes back up to claim Senkuu's mouth again. Senkuu shivered at the feel of himself on Gen's tongue, and he went back to the corner of his mind that was needy, the dark little corner he tried to avoid in this Stone World, which whispered bratty, selfish desires.

"Gen. I want more" he moaned tugging on Gen's clothes.

Gen smiled, he'd comply with anything Senkuu asked.

And Byakuya was right –he usually was–, he did get lonely at night. Senkuu needed someone to keep him warm at night.

**-'-**

**Ten.**

He wakes up, in Gen's arms –basked in his warmth, his scent, _in him_– feeling a bliss he thought would never come again.

Asagiri Gen would do anything for the scientist, putting his happiness above all else. He indulges in his –rare, but increasingly frequent– whims. He does what he can to spoil him rot.

And Ishigami Senkuu's third love, is neither his father nor science.

**-'-**


End file.
